A demonstration was held at the Haifa Convention Center Monday against the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem (ICEJ) and its missionary activities. The demonstration came as the Yad Ezer Lehaver (Helping Hand to a Friend) organization was holding a salute to Holocaust survivors, highlighted by an award recognizing ICEJ for contributions by its members in Germany and Poland to the newly-dedicated center for needy Holocaust survivors in the northern port city.
Against the background of newspaper reports about dedicated volunteers who cared for survivors and converted them to Christianity before their deaths, demonstrators told the missionaries to get out quickly and warned people not to cooperate with members of the embassy. They also cited Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger for sitting at a table with embassy members in violation of 2007 and 2008 decisions by the rabbinate against taking part in events with the ICEJ, which is organizing Christian events for Succot at the Jerusalem Convention Center.